Method and apparatus for sealing containers



Feb. 23 ,1926. 1,573,882

s. c. vEssY METHOD AND APPARATUS FORv SEALING CONTAINERS Filemon. 28, 1918 3 Sheets-sheet 1 l HENOR BY ATTORNEY Feb. 23 1926.

S. C. VESSY 'METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SEALING CONTAINERS Filed OGL 28, 1918 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 23, 1926.

PATENT E..

ASIDNEY C. VESSY, OFCLEVELAND, OHIO,

ASSIGNOR TO TI-IE STAR SEAL s CLOSURE COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATTON OF OHIO.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR `SEALING CONTANERS.

`Application led October 28,1918/ Serial No. 259,975.

To all w/ionrz't may conce/in Be l1t known'that L Stover C. Vicssr, a

citizeny of the United States7 residing in Cleveland, in the Icounty oi Cuyahoga., State of Ohio, have :invented certain new -anfl use- Ytul Improve-ments m Methods and Apparatus tor Sealing Containersfof which the :tolloWi ng .is a specitication.

This invention relates broadly `to the :package closing artand to metal spinning devices and more especially to devices for sealingfglassfcontainers and the like with metalf caps.

AThe Vprincipal object of the present in- '.vention is Vthe lmethod and `apparatus 'l'or -splnnuigwthebead ot a suitable metal cap` overa resilient gasket and against the suostantially incompressible side Wall of a glass container and the flike.

al more rspecitic object of the present invention is the anethod and apparatus for sealing a metal cap or the like upon a suitablev glass container by gradually deforming a metal bead andl compressing the same over a suitable gasket and against the substantially incompressible side vWall of av glass containeror-the ilike in such `manner that the sealing forces areidirected toward a common sealing zone.`

Still more specifically they present invention comprises the sealing of a metal cap or the like over a suitable, glassY container or the like byfrlef )11ni11g a bead in the skirt of the capover-a eompressible gasket in such rmanner that the detox-ming torres are lapH plied looallysand `gradually.from one edge of the bead to the other edge, whereby the .gasket is compressed under angularly dis- ;posed forces and toward a common-sealing zone.

A still further and equally important object of the present invention is the method and apparatus for sealing suitable metal caps'oreriglass jars or thelike by gradually `spinning a bead in the skirt ot' the cap liable' metal cap upon a glass container or the other advantageinis featuresn some ot' whit-hf with the foregoing, will bc set, forth more at length in the following description, .wherein will be outlined in t'ull that form ot' the iinfention which l have selected for illustration in the drawings accomlmnying and. forming a part olf the present specification.

ln thc drawings l have shown only ontI spcoitic form o'l my generic invention. but. it is to be understood that l, do not limit myself` to such form, because my invention may be embodied in a multiplicity ot' forms. each being a species ot' my invention. lt is also to be understood that by the claims succeeding the description ot my inrentior l desire to cover the intention in whatsoever i torni it maybe embodied or practiced.

Referring nou` to the drau'ing:,\. wherein like retercncc characters relier to like puit. throughout thc several figures tlnyreoii:

Figure l isa detail View otl oneform of spinning mechanism tor carrying out the present invention `and is a section on `line AB of Figure 3.

Figure :2 is a sectional view taken on line C-C ot.- Figure l.

Figure 3 is a sectional 'View taken on line A-B of Figure l.

y Figure l is a view illustrating one form of a complete machine for carrying out my invention.

Figure Y5 is a diagrammatic View illus- `trainingthe action at the `beginning ot' the -upon glass containersiand thelike it has been customary to deform the sealing bead of the bead on the diametrically oppositeV on the skirt of the cap by means of chucks or dies wherein substantially the'entire bead is simultaneously deformedV to compress the gasket against the side wall of the container.

This sealing operation by means of chucks chucks or dies, there is liability of breaks age, or an improper seal. 7l/1ere chucks or dies are used, as is common in the art, there is liability of the force causing` the chucks or dies to wear in such manner that there is a tendency to deform one side of the bead diliierently from the deformation side'ot' the container. This fact also tends to produce unsatisfactory seals where chucks or dies` are used. Furthermore, where chucks or dies are used in substantially all cases the deforming of the bead comprises a compression of the bead substantially parallel to the side wall of the container, which compresses the gasket vertically and causes a squeezingof the gasket radially as an incident to the vertical compression. It is to be noted that under these circumstances the major forces are exerted in a vertical direction rather 'than in a radial direction where the compression is mosteiective to form the seal.

The present invention overcomes the difiiculties encountered in the known' commercial art of sealing, as above specified,

by' sealing the cap on the glass container or thelike by spinning; the bead of the cap inwardly in a'radial direction in such manner that the'pgasket in the bead of the cap is gradually constricted and deformed by spinning pressure applied progressively to various parts of the bead in such manner as to tightly compress the gasket between Vthe deformed bead and the sid-e wall of the container, thereby forming` a hermetic seal. One form of apparatus for carrying out Vmy invention may comprise a container slot 10 in the shaft and permits a longitudinal movement of the shaft at the same time prevent rotation thereof. A collar 11 may be providedrtov adjustably limit the move- Vupon a bearing ring 14E of libre or other suitable antifriction bearing` material. This 'spinner head carries pivoted levers 15k on which are mounted studs 16 that carry spinning rolls`17 having grooves 1S in their periphery which are adapted Vto deiform the bead on the cap as will be explained later. The upper ends oi'i the roller carrying arms extend through openings in pressure plugs 19 which are mounted on a spinner' frame 20. These pressure vplugs 19 are slidable in the openings in the spinner traine, in which openings are provided adjustment nuts Q1 that bear uponcoiled springs 22 which rest against shoulders 24 on the plugs. The upper ends of the plugs carry lock nuts 25 which are adapted to be adjusted to control the inner limit or operation of the spinning' rollers 17.V The spinning head 12 is. slidable on the spinning frame 2O but is prevented from rotation thereon by means of a key Q6 which extends partly into the spinning frame and partly into the spinning head. A coiled spring 2'? between the spinning frame and the spinning` head normally maintains the spinning' head bearingl against the fibre washer bearing ring 14. VThe spinning` iframe is bolted by means of stub bolts 2S to a flange 29 on a4 hollow shaftV 8() that surrounds the pressure head shatt 6. The hollow shaft 3() is provided with a shoulder 31 that likewise bears on an antifriction or bearing washer 32 carried adjacent the head of therame.

A drive pulley is mounted on the hollow shaft 3() and is adapted to rotate the shaft and the .spinning mechanism, Reiferring' to Figure il the spinningl mechanism is shown as beingl mounted upon a pedestal in which is pivoted a toot lever 36 that is normally maintained at its upper limit oiE movement by means 'et' a coiled springi 3T anchored at one end or" the lever and at the other end or' the pedestal. An upwardlyextending; link 38 connects the pedestal with the li'iter lever 39 which is pivoted'on the pedestal and extends through a lifter bar which carries an antiffriction roll Lif() that hears on the lifter lever. VThe litter bar is formed of two pieces t1 and that are connected together with a clamp coupling` 44 in such manner that the length of the lifter bar may be increased or decreased to raise 1 or lower the Zone of moven'ient o1e the receptacle table 1 mounted on the upper section of the lifter bar. The lifter bar is guided through a sleeve 445 which is also mounted on the pedestal 35. Preferably the spinning mechanism is inclosed by a shield -16 which comprises the connection between the pedestal and the head frame.

'It will be noted that when. pressure is brought to bear on the toot lever the connected parts raise the package table 1 and bring` the top ot the cap 4L into contact with the pressure head 7 atiwhich time the bead on the cap is opposite the grooves 18 in the spinner rollers 17. Further upward `approaches the bead to be spun;

movemeiitol' theiped-estal liftsithe package still higher and lilits the pressure heard Vwhich compresses theeoil'ed spring 2T between the spinner head `l2 Iand'the spinner `'rame 2t) wlierebythc spinner roll levers l5 tendfto press the pressure plug springs lVhen the machine is lm operation the power wheel `is belted' to Ia vcontinuous rotating source ol' powei so that thel spinning head.- and the spinning' t'rai'ncfare revolving `at the time when the spinner rolls 'engage the' tlange on thelcap. is pressure is bronghtlo bear 0n these rolls the bead is gradually spun in ai'idftheseal completed. f

VReferring''more particularly to l`igures 5 to=8finclusive andfFigui'e l7 it willbe noted gasket coii'ipi'ises a ringsubstantiailly rectangularfiii cross-section. The groove `18 Vinftlie:spinning rolllis'lcui'ved :in such manner as-V to distort the sa id beadf when the spinning operation is completed;l llt. will be reii'ienibered that' the spinning roll has three paths otiiiiovei'iient,"one being 'the path around the receptacle, the other being the .rotation of" the sp inning i roll riipoii its pivot 1G land the otl'ieribeingrthe swinginginiove- `ment of thespinniiigr roll aroundrthe pivot of the lever 15. ment have to do with-the `spinning operation7 whereas thex third path ot' movement controls tliedirection at vwhich the spinning vroll Referring to Figure 5 it will lbenotedt-hat the .spinning roll contacts irst -withftheuppercorner of `the lbead to compress `tlielgasket "inwardly and downwardlyias indicated'b)1l the arrow lf). In Figure 1'6 it is to be noted that the spinning operation has progressediby tui-ther distorting the upper `portion of the bead and by the spinning roll contacting with the lower edge ot' thebeadwhereby converging r compression forces, indicatedl by farrows l!) In Figure 7 the spinning `'operation `has progressed further and substantiallyY 'the entire beadis subjected to the spinning actionA `which further increasesthe converging compres- "sion forces. In Figure 8 the spinning is com` pletedand'inthis tigure it isto be `noted By this gradual distortion ofthe bead "and the gasket it will be-seeirthat the comipiession'ftorces are directed in such manner Y as to cause-a very coinpactrand tight seal between the side wall of the container=and The irst/ two 'paths of movetheskii't of the cap, due to the convcrgii'ig linesot torres imposed upon the gasket. lThe cross section oiithe gasket and the shape `o'tthe groove in the spinning' rolls ma;r be varied without departing 'lrom'my invention. 1'l`he prcl'erred torni oll my in `vcntion may be `carried `out `by such constructirms as comprise variations in crossisectional shape between the. bead and the roller gromewso that a substantial distortion ol the gasket occurs when tl i seal is completelj,7 spun.

ltis alsoprelierablc that the package and `cap Vbe retained stationary and that `the spinning head and spinning rollers be rcvolved 4around the leap and container to cll`cct the spinning operation. The reason V'for thisis that where the package is rotated there is a tendency, due to een tritugal Vforces.

to Ithrow outward the contents ot' the conl tainer. lhci'c is a liability ol the liquids in thefcontainer being thrown out under the cap `priorto the coinililcting oi? the seal where `the .container is rotated. It is obvious 'trom the construction shown in the drawings. Athat thcfpressure hcadand the 4package table being stationary,` the package `andthe cap will also-be held stationar \Y *during the spinning operation.

Having describedmy invention what I el ai in lis :n

l. The method ot' t'oi'n'iing hermetic seals on glass"containers and the like, which method lcon'il'irises providing a container having` a peripheral' wall adjacent the mouth thereof; providing a metal cap with an fangular bead in the skirt thereof; providingia gasket within said bead, then placing said cap' in position over `the mouth oit-said container; and then changing the angular character of said bead into a substantially smooth curved torni in crosssection b i `spinning `inwardtheangularly disposed 'portions ol" said beadwhereby the gasket is compressed between the skirt ot the cap and the side wall ot the container.

Q. The method ot' forming hermetic seals on glass containers and `the like,` which method comprises providing a container `having a substantially incompressible side wall adjacent the mouth thcreot'; placing a metallic rap. `with a substantially rectangular `bead `in the skirt thereof. in position to cover the mouth ot the said container and with the skirt extending over the side wall ot the'container; providing gasket material between the bead and the side wall ot the container; and then spinning the upper portion ot' said bead inwardl'vand lower portion ot the bead upwardly to compress said,

`gasket against the side wall ot the container.

The method ot' herineticallv sealing glass containers and the like which method comprises providing a ductile"constraining i member' to encompass the peripheralV wall of a yvessel;placing between the constraining member and said wall a ring of gasket material having a substantially rectangular cross section; and spinning the constraining member inwardly to compress the gasket and change the angular relation of the exterior sides into a curve whereby converging .compressive forces are exerted against the .gasket material to compress the same tightly Lagainst the side wall of the container.

4e. The method of sealing glass containers and the like which method comprises providing a metal cap with a bead in the skirt of the cap; placing a ring of gasket material of substantially rectangular cross-section within the said bead and between the skirt of the cap and side wall of the container; slacingV the cap over the lmouth of the container to be sealed; and then deforming the bead by spinning the upper outer portion inward and downward and the lower portion inward and upward to reduce the size of the bead and set up compression forces in the gasket to compressthe same tightly against the side wall of the container;

5. The method of sealing glass containers and the like which method comprises providing a suitable metal cap having a bead formed in the sidewall thereof; placing a ring of gasket ymaterial within t#aid bead, the said ring of gasket material being substantially rectangular in cross secti r1n; then holding the package and the cap stationary; and then subjecting the bead to the spinning action of a smooth grooved roller which is swung in an arc toward the side wall of the container whereby the upper portion ofthe bead is first subjected to the spinning action and the lower portion of the bead is last subjected to the spinning action.

6. V'Ihe method of hermetically .sealing glass containers and the like, which comprises providing a suitable metal cap having a substantially right angular bead in the skirt thereof; placing a ring of gasket material within said bead; then placing said cap Iin position over the mouth of' a suitable container; then holding the container Vand the cap stationary; then subjecting the bead and the gasket to spinning forces moving around the said bead on an axis of revolution coincident with the axis of the mouth of the container; and then causing the spinning forces to be effective from one edge of the bead to the other edge oi' the bead whereby the spinning forces are convergent to decrease the diameter of the bead and tightly compress the basket against the side wall of thel container.

7. In av metal spinning machine, the

combination o f a frame adapted to rotate spinning rollers carried by said frame for movement about` said axis, and means effective to move said rollers toward said axis and to incline their axes from and toward said axis.

8. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a rotatable spinning frame, means for supporting a containerV with its closure on an axis with said frame, a spinning roller rotatably carried by said spinning frame, and means operable to move said rollerV toward and from the axis of the spinning frame and to rock it across a plane perpendicular lto said axis.

9. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a spinning frame mounted for rotation on a vertical axis, rollers carried by said frame and movable about said axis, and mountings for said rollers operable to vary the .inclination of their axes both ways from the vertical and means for operating said mountings.

10. In a machine of the classl described, theV combination of a spinning Yframe mounted for rotation on a vsubstantially verticalv axis, rollers carried by said frame and movable aboutsaid axis, said rollers faces. andV having peripheral spinning l means for tilting the rollers to render their spinning faces effective insynclinal and anticlinal relationships.

yl1. In a machine of the class described,

.in combination, a spinning head mounted on a substantially vertical axis, means for for rotary movement, a plurality of rollerV mountings spaced apart upon said head,

rollers carried on said mountings and havling laterally directed spinning faces, and means operably effective upon the roller mountings to move the rollers inwardly toward the axisof the spinning head and to rock the rollers to render Vtheir spinning faces effective first downwardly and then upwardly.

13. A machine for hermetically sealing glass containers or thelike by spinning a bead containing a gasket against the side wall of the container; said machine comprising a spinning` head, a plurality of rollers carried by said spinningY head, a groove in each of said spinning rollers, and means to cause said rollers to be effective during a portion of the spinning operation to spin the bead inwardly and during another portion of the spinning operationv to spin the edge i ofthe bead upwardly.

14. A machine for hermetically sea-ling glass containers or the like by spinning a bead Containing a gasket against the side wall of the container said machine comprising a spinning head, a plurality of rollers Carried by said spinning head, a groove in eaoh or" said spinning` rollers, and means to swing said rollers in such manner that said rollers are etl'ective during a portion oi' the spinning operation to spin the bead inwardly 'and during another portion of the spinning operation to spin the edge of the bead upwardly.

l5. ln a machine of the character specilied the combination of a spinning frame oomprising a head adapted to rest on a suitable cap during the spinning operation, and spinning rollers having a swinging movement whereby a suitable bead on said cap is first spun inwardly and then the lower edge ol the bead is spun upwardly and inwardly to compress a suitable gasket against the side wall of the container.

16. In a machine or' the character specified the combination oi' a spinning head, a spinning frame, a stationary head adapted to rest on a suitable cap during the spinning operation, spinning rollers, and means to impart an orbital movement to said rollers whereby a suitable bead on said cap is first spun inwardly and then the lower edge of the bead is spun upwardly and inwardly to compress a suitable gasket against the side Awall of the container,

SIDNEY C. VESSY. 

